Korean J Geriatr Gerontol.  2017 Jun;18(1):30-35. 10.15656/kjcg.2017.18.1.30.

Relationship between High Serum Cadmium Level and Low Muscle Mass in Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

• Kim JS
• Lee TS
• Kim JK
• Hwang YJ
• Park YC

• KMID: 2566468
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15656/kjcg.2017.18.1.30

Abstract

Background
Sarcopenia is a syndrome defined as progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and function, associated with mobility disorders, increased risk of falls, loss of independence and mortality. Cadmium is a non-essential heavy metal with an accumulative polluting effect and seems to have toxicity to kidneys, lungs, and bones. The present study aimed to examine the associations between the prevalence of sarcopenia and serum cadmium levels using Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010) data.
Methods
The total number of study subjects was 1,938 and these included 904 males and 1,038 females aged 10 years or older. Subject were allocated to two groups; a sarcopenia group (n=636) or a normal group (n=1,302). Sarcopenia was defined as an appendicular skeletal mass to body weight ratio of one SD less than the mean ratio of a young (20∼39 years), sex specific, and reference group.
Results
Serum cadmium (Cd) levels were higher in the sarcopenia group than in the normal group [1.16 (SD, ±0.73) μg/dL in the sarcopenia group and 1.00 (SD, ±0.62) μg/dL in the normal group]. Members of the sarcopenia group had a significantly higher mean serum cadmium level (OR 1.410, 95% CI 1.408∼1.414, P=0.018). After adjusting for compounding factors, the prevalence of sarcopenia increased by 5.4% (Odd ratio=1.054, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.051∼1.056) for every 1 μg/dL increase in Cd level.
Conclusion
Sarcopenia was associated with elevated serum cadmium in the Korean population.

Keyword

Cadmium; Sarcopenia; Skeletal muscle; Korean population